A. My heartfelt condolences on the loss of your cat.

It is an unfortunate fact of medicine that death can and does occur before, during and after anesthesia, although infrequently. An estimate of the number of anesthetic deaths that occur in veterinary medicine is approximately one in 1,000 (versus one in 10,000 estimated in human medicine). There are many reasons apparently healthy pets die from anesthetic procedures, including severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), shock, and previously undiagnosed disease, particularly heart defects. In my experience, when autopsies are performed a definitive cause of death cannot always be found. This can be very frustrating when the difficult decision to do an autopsy has been made.

It's particularly upsetting when death occurs from an elective procedure. Your feelings that it's your fault are completely normal, even though you were just trying to do the right thing by taking care of your cat's health. Believe me, your veterinarian feels the same way.

Instead of focusing on what could have been done differently, try to focus on the three wonderful years you had with your cat and the times you made his life enjoyable, and vice versa. If you feel like it, there are many ways to memorialize him. The University of Colorado's Argus Institute has wonderful resources for dealing with the loss of a pet. Their Web site is http://www.argusinstitute.colostate.edu/

I usually recommend waiting at least a month before adopting a new pet. Rushing out to replace your cat won't honor his memory, and you will be better able to bond with your new pet after some time has passed.

Q. I have a dog and a cat. Do they need vaccinations every year?

A. The vaccinations your pets need every year are based on several things: the community you live in, your pets' lifestyle and their age and health. Most communities require that all dogs are vaccinated for rabies, and some even require that cats be vaccinated for rabies. Pets that go outside are at greater risk for disease so that should factor into your decision as well. It can be helpful to have a veterinarian who knows you and your pets, and can make a recommendation based on these factors.

The East Bay SPCA holds two shot clinics during the week. You can bring your pets Monday through Saturday to our Oakland Veterinary Clinic, anytime from 8:30 a.m. to noon and noon to 4 p.m. No appointment or office visit fee is required. You will only be charged for the actual vaccinations you request. You can also bring your pets to our Tri-Valley Spay and Neuter Surgery Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 3 and 5 p.m.

Q. I know that humans can pass "pink eye" around to each other quite easily, but can your cats, or other pets, get it from humans? Is it the same thing for pets as it is for humans?

A. In humans, "pink eye" is not a specific disease, but a condition — conjunctivitis. It can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection or by allergies. Most of us with kids are familiar with the viral form of pink eye, which is spread rapidly. It is usually caused by a type of virus called an adenovirus. Cats do not get this virus. However they do get lots of other things that can cause conjunctivitis. The herpes virus is a common cause of kitty conjunctivitis. It is not the same as the human herpes virus and cannot be transferred to humans, nor can the human herpes virus be transferred to cats. Cats (and dogs, for that matter) can also get conjunctivitis from other viruses, bacteria and allergens. But not from humans.